When your clients come to your chiropractic clinic and have to spend some time in the waiting room before their appointment, what is the experience like for them? The quality of the waiting room can really make a big difference when it comes to the impression that your clients get of your practice. An uncomfortable, boring and unpleasant waiting room will have your clients in a bad mood before you even treat them, which means that they might not benefit as much from your services and will be less likely to appreciate them. Also, waiting in an unpleasant room makes the time go by slower, so your clients will perceive their wait times as longer and this will create a negative impression of your practice in their minds.
room are comfortable and ergonomic.
However, a calming and relaxing waiting room will put guests in a good mood by the time it is their turn for treatment, which will be beneficial for them and you. Improving the waiting room and enhancing the customer experience in this way will allow you to greatly improve the customer service of your clinic.
How can you make your chiropractic clinic waiting room a more enjoyable place to be? Here are some tips that you can keep in mind:
· Make sure that the seating options in the waiting room are comfortable and ergonomic. If people are visiting your chiropractic clinic because of back pain, the last thing they want to do is sit in an uncomfortable chair!
· The office décor and the design of the room should look modern and up-to-date. Choose neutral colours and simple, elegant décor.
· Consider all of the senses. Use air fresheners to make the air smell fresh and welcoming and have gentle, relaxing music in the background. Use calming colours like cream, pale blue and green.
· Hire a friendly receptionist who is able to greet everyone who walks through the door with a welcoming smile and who can treat all patients with respect – even when disputes or questions arise.
· Offer healthy snacks in the waiting room, such as oranges, packets of nuts or juice boxes. Your patients might get hungry if they are waiting for a while, so this is an inexpensive way to keep them happy.
· Try to install pleasant and relaxing lighting. Florescent lights make people feel on edge, so if you can install gentler lighting your waiting room will automatically become more relaxing.
· Place posters or leaflets with interesting and helpful chiropractic tips around the waiting room, so that your patients can learn while they wait.
· Provide your patients with plenty of things to read. Offer magazines of several different genres including travel, science, sport, arts and crafts, the outdoors and more, as not everyone will be interested in reading beauty magazines. You can also include recent copies of your local newspaper.
· If you can, offer free Wifi in your waiting room. This will allow your patients to connect to the internet on their phones and tablets so that they can check email, browse and message their friends and family while they are waiting. Make sure that the default page that comes up first is the website of your practice, created with the help of professional chiropractic marketing services such as PerfectPatients.com.
· Don’t forget to offer something to keep the children occupied, as the last thing you want is a bored child running around in your waiting room! Set up a play corner with a mat and some cushions and a box of toys and books. Provide a full age range of entertainment, from baby toys to puzzles for older kids and even books and magazines for teenagers. The kids will love it and it will make the waiting room experience a lot more peaceful for their parents (and everyone else!).
· Add indoor plants to your waiting room. Scientists have found that indoor plants can actually help to purify the air in enclosed environments and the pretty leaves and flowers will be calming for your patients.
· Choose the right music for your waiting room. It should be something calming and relaxing, such as quiet classic, new age or world music. Make sure that it is not too loud and that it is being played through good quality speakers to avoid distortion.
These are just a few ideas for how you can improve the waiting room experience and make it more pleasant for your chiropractic clients – enhancing their customer satisfaction with every visit!
Author Bio
Ben Grant is a freelance writer and blogger. He writes about health care, well-being and the healthcare practice.
Image Credit:
Ambro – FreeDigitalPhotos.Net
